Wednesday, 5 October 2011

How to make gravy

They say it's gonna be a hundred degrees, even more maybe, but that
won't stop the roast

Who's gonna make the gravy now?
I bet it won't taste the same
Just add flour, salt, a little red wine and don't forget a dollop of
tomato sauce for sweetness and that extra tang

And give my love to Angus and to Frank and Dolly,
Tell 'em all I'm sorry I screwed up this time
And look after Rita, I'll be thinking of her early Christmas morning
When I'm standing in line

From Paul Kelly, "How to Make Gravy"

Aussie singer-songwriter. Brilliant song about a man in prison writing home about Christmas Day. With a recipe included! Love this song! It send a shiver down my spine every time I hear it. Check it out on YouTube. Maybe one day I will even try his recipe!

I love gravy. Love it with a roast dinner. Watched my brother Dave make it to serve with a roast dinner recently. Loved how it was a simple way to perk up a nut roast. Simple was good after Sylvia had a 2 hour tantrum. She was ill, poor wee thing! Served nut roast with roast pumpkin, steamed broccoli and potato scones.

I have posted quite a few gravies on my blog. Last week I created a new Gravy category in my Recipe Index. My basic gravy is below. I should make it more often! When I make it, I should remember to serve it in my gravy boat. It makes dinner special. Just like gravy!

Heat olive oil in heavy based frypan. Fry onion in oil until well browned. I fried mine over a medium high heat and let it get so brown that it charred a little bit. Add some flour and stir over heat a minute or two until it is browned. Gradually add water, using the back of a spoon to break down any lumps of flour. Bring to the boil. When gravy boils it should thicken slightly. Check seasoning and serve over nut roast, roast veg, bangers and mash or whatever you like. If you don't use it immediately it might thicken quite a bit when it cools and need a bit more water when being reheated.

You know, I have never had gravy! We weren't a big roast family growing up, and when we did have roasts (Christmas, for instance) I tended to skip the gravy. I have an odd thing about sauces / dressings and think they ruin the food they're over :P I'm in the minority, I know!

I wanted to say thanks for your helpful comments this week - the pumpkin tip and that recipe for a possible yoghurt coating were great :)

Thanks K - my mum always used gravox so it was only as an adult that I started to use promite - gives a nice dark colour as well as flavour

Thanks Gourmet Getaways - your nan knew that gravy is an art not a science and a great way to finish a meal

Thanks Ricki - lovely of you to link to it - hope it perks up a few thanksgiving dinners

Thanks Lisa - don't like gravy - it was just part of what we ate when I was a kid - I eat it a lot less now so it is more of a treat

Thanks Mel - possibly I eat gravy less because I never eat it out of a packet but I love it when I make it - and it isn't that hard

Thanks Bliss Doubt - never saw it missing til you pointed it out - am tryng to push out posts a bit quicker for vegan mofo so hope you will accept the link to Paul Kelly singing how to make gravy in lieu of on the stereo this post (though I will try better next time!)

Thanks Kari - we had roast dinners all the time and my grandmothers often made them too so I love some gravy over nut roast but I draw the line at drowning the whole dinner in sauce or gravy (unlike E) - glad the comments might help you

Thanks Brydie - the song made it all the more fun to write this post - I love it

Thanks Lorraine - then you must try some promite in your next gravy - just don't tell anyone!

Thanks for dropping by. I love hearing from you. Please share your thoughts and questions. Annoyingly the spammers are bombarding me so I have turned on the pesky captcha code (refresh to find an easy one if you don't like the first one)

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About Me

Recipes and reflections in which our vegetarian heroine dreams of being tall and graceful as a giraffe; being a goddess in the kitchen; and being gladdened by green gadgets, green food and green politics because green is the colour of hope. See About Me for more info.